Gave up on searing meat to keep it juicy, here's why.

I always thought searing meat before roasting locked in all the juices. After testing it many times, I saw the meat was just as dry or moist either way. A cook I know who reads a lot about food said searing just makes good flavor from the browning. Like with pork chops, I now just put them in the oven without searing first. They come out fine and I don't waste time on that extra step. Lots of chefs still push this idea, but I think it's not true. Cooking to the right temperature is what really matters for juicy meat.

3 comments

3 Comments

barbara_bennett7mo ago

My cousin who works at a grill place in Tampa explained that searing only adds flavor from the browning. It does not lock in any juices, that's a really common myth. The juicy part comes from cooking it to the right temp, just like you found out. So skipping the sear saves time and still gives you good meat. I do miss the taste from that crust sometimes though. Honestly, I only bother with searing for Sunday dinners now.

johnson.jade7mo ago

Totally agree with that myth being busted, @barbara_bennett. I read a food science article that said the same thing, how searing just makes those browned bits for flavor. They did a test with chicken thighs and found no difference in moisture between seared and not. That crust taste is great, but now I don't stress about skipping it on busy nights.

craig.drew7mo ago

That "Sunday dinners" line got me. My grandma used to make this pot roast every single Sunday, and she would sear it for like ten minutes. The whole house would smell amazing. We all thought that crust was what made it so good. Turns out she was just a way better cook than my mom, who never seared hers. The real secret was probably that grandma didn't overcook it to leather.